People tend to think of salads as mostly composed of fresh, crunchy, and brightly colored greens. You might see some tomato reds here and there, maybe the subtle off-whites of cheese, and the occasional black olives that lend a dash of personality.
Did you know that there’s a whole range of flavors and ingredients that can make your salad more colorful — even without the typical greens? Take this Wild Rice Salad with Blueberries and Corn for instance; you’ve got the warm, earthy tones of wild rice that mix nicely with the brightness of golden corn kernels. Providing an elegant contrast to these colors are the deep, velvety hues of blueberries.
However, this salad isn’t just for show — it’s also sweet, savory, and stunningly sumptuous! Wild Rice Salad with Blueberries and Corn makes for a delightful side or a main dish if you give it a protein boost. Compared to typical rice, wild rice is a little more on the chewy side because of its outer shell. It also has a mildly smoky and grassy flavor.
Corn, of course, is soft, sweet, and a little bit buttery. It also has a hint of starchiness that makes its lightly crunchy texture even more delightful. Don’t overlook the juicy blueberries, which are deliciously fruity and even mildly floral.
While this salad is more on the sweet side, the cucumber, onions, and cilantro serve as balancers that keep the sweetness from becoming too overpowering. Adding cumin to the dressing also gives the mixture an earthy flourish.
Wild Rice Salad with Blueberries and Corn has a hearty taste when served warm, but if you want the flavors to meld even more, cover or refrigerate this dish for about an hour.
PrintWild Rice Salad with Blueberries and Corn
Sweet, savory, and stunningly sumptuous, get ready to tickle your taste buds with this Wild Rice Salad With Blueberries and Corn!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Category: Salads & Dressings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 cup wild rice or brown rice, cooked and slightly warm
- 1 cucumber, finely diced
- 1/2 cup red onion or scallions, finely sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a large serving bowl, combine lemon juice, olive oil, honey, cumin, and salt. Whisk together.
- Add corn, blueberries, rice, cucumber onion, and cilantro.
- Stir all ingredients together to coat them evenly with the dressing.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for an hour or more to let the flavors meld.
Notes
- Cook Time is 1 hour if you don’t have the rice prepared
Want to start growing blueberries at home? Blueberries are a favorite of everyone, everywhere! With our Blueberry Bonanza Gardening Guide, you’ll have everything you need to know about growing and enjoying this delicious and healthful fruit.
Have you tried this Wild Rice Salad with Blueberries and Corn recipe? It’s a terrific side dish for your chicken dinner, for example. Please tell us how it turned out for you.
We tried again, this time with brown rice. It soaked up the dressing better and is cheaper.
Excellent contrast in colors and textures. We substituted parsley for the cilantro and added extra lemon juice. Delicious!